Macon-Bibb County GA: Obesity Problem

Introduction

Health care is a human right requirement and all people are entitled to receiving right and quality care. Regions experience different health issues because of various attributes including environmental, economic, and social. The access to primary care can address health problems easily while tertiary care can manage problems witnessed in the community. The argument is that developed countries have better health outcomes compared to developing countries because of the availability of resources. Ethnicities and demographics have additional impacts to health care provision implying nurses have to incorporate different information in addressing the needs and requirements of the patients. The purpose of this paper is to analyze Macon-Bibb County in Georgia in regards to obesity/overweight with a focus on community, demographic and epidemiological data, and obesity as a problem, historical significance, and solution to obesity.

Macon-Bibb County has numerous resources such as the Alzheimer’s Association, health care organizations, services provision such as electricity companies and other sectors that support the sustainability of the society. There are various types of hospitals including the Medical Center of Central Georgia (MCCG) while there are also higher education facilities (Georgia Department of Public Health, 2013). The County provides a good place for growing old but also depends on an individual’s social and financial circumstances. Other factors that affect Macon-Bibb County include economic opportunity, which is diminishing, while community safety depends on where an individual lives. Community participation and support networks are available but depend on situations and circumstances. The environment and topology is appropriate meaning it is a favorable living county.

The demographic data of Macon-Bibb County is similar to other cities and regions of Georgia. The population of Macon-Bibb County was 153,925 people in 2016 and it is the 4th most populous city in Georgia State out of the 618 cities. In race and ethnicity, the largest is the blacks at 53.6%, White is 39.9% and Hispanic are 3.1%. The median age for Macon-Bibb County is 35.8 years. Census Bureau (2017) states that 52.8% of the population are women while under 18 years account for 32.2% of the population while persons above 65 years are 14%. The median income in 2016 was $31,150. The demographic shows that the community is similar to other communities across America.

The epidemiological data show that Macon-Bibb County performs poorly when it comes to health care deliverables compared to other States and regions in Georgia. The quality of life in Macon-Bibb County is 22% while the top US performers are at 12% while the average for Georgia is 19%. Premature death and low birth weight are also major issues at 11,400 and 13% respectively, which is higher compared to the average of 7,500 and 10% in Georgia (County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2018). Adult obesity is at 35%, which is higher compared to Georgia average of 30% and also physical inactivity at 28% while Georgia average is 24% (Georgia Department of Public Health, 2013). Other epidemiological data indicates high sexually transmitted infections (800.5 compared to 570.8 Georgia’s average), teen births, and problems with healthcare professional disparities. The data shows that the health situation in Macon-Bibb County based on the highlighted deliverables is in a worse state. Potential of numerous diseases ranging from cardiovascular problems to sexually transmitted diseases is evident meaning that that health care plan and model should be reviewed to address the emerging issues.

In analyzing the data, it is evident that obesity is a major problem in Macon-Bibb County: an estimate of 1 in 3 people is obese. The reason behind the increased obesity is the availability of numerous fast food restaurants and physical inactivity. Healthy People 2020 highlight the importance of healthy living. Obesity and healthy eating are contained in the Healthy People 2020 and elaborate numerous areas that have to be considered including accessing healthier food, health care and worksite settings, dietary and weight status (CDC, 2014). The objectives of Healthy People 2020 are to increase the number of adults, who are at a healthy weight, reduce the proportion of obese adults, adolescents and children. The general framework is to encourage healthy living and eating while also managing weight status effectively.

Analyzing the historical significance, it shows that obesity and overweight continue being a major health issue in the USA. In 1962, obesity in the USA was 23% but the problem has worsened over time. Available data shows that overweight percentages for the US population in 1997 were 39.4%, in 2004 was 44.5%, in 2007 was 56.66 and the value is increasing. The number of obese population parallels the overweight and it is estimated at 39.8% in 2015-2016 (CDC, 2018). CDC (2018) highlights numerous reasons contributing to the problem including lack of education, physical inactivity, economic situation and easiness of access to unhealthy food such as fast food. It implies changing individual and community behaviors are important in addressing the problem (Thorpe Jr. et al. 2015). It indicates that without addressing the problem, other complications might occur. For example, obesity is associated with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. The strategic approach to maintain the healthiness of an individual is to manage or address obesity.

In solving the obesity and overweight problem, there are numerous solutions. Education and creating awareness are important in addressing obesity. CDC (2018) observes that individuals with higher education have lower obesity prevalence. The education should include training and develop the community on the importance of a healthy diet and engage in physical activity. Encouraging physical activity in the schools and even at the workplace such as using stairs instead of lifts can reduce obesity (Kizy et al. 2017). Incorporating other stakeholders such as restaurants to include healthy diets like green vegetables would reduce the prevalence of the problem (Assari & Lankarani, 2015). The underlying aspect is developing the capacities of the community to appreciate various strategies in championing healthiness (Li et al. 2015). For example, physical exercises contribute to overall health improvement reducing the prevalence of other health conditions such as cardiovascular problem (Jones & Fiese, 2014). Hence, embracing the creation of awareness, a healthy diet, and physical activity goes beyond benefiting obese individuals to address other potential health concerns.

Conclusion

In summary, Macon-Bibb County is facing obesity and overweight problem when compared to other Georgia’s cities and the United States. The average rate of obesity in Macon-Bibb County is 35%, which is comparatively higher compared to other cities and counties in Georgia. The population at risk are all the people especially individuals who do not have higher educational qualifications. The factors contributing to the problem include lack of awareness, an unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity. The proposed solution includes training and developing the community on the importance of right diet, and participating in physical exercises.